


Stories of the Second Self: Stray From the Herd

by John_Steiner



Series: Alter Idem [115]
Category: Police - Fandom, Urban Fantasy - Fandom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-09
Updated: 2020-02-09
Packaged: 2021-02-27 18:41:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22640404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/John_Steiner/pseuds/John_Steiner
Summary: Captain Reigns gets personally involved in a missing persons case linked to the upscale Fairfax. As a Fae elder, Reigns is uniquely placed to navigate the high society circles of Cincinnati's wealthiest district. Forced to dip his toe into the class-conscious waters of Fairfax, Reigns is reminded of why he detests and avoids the well-to-do tier of supernatural and human communities.
Series: Alter Idem [115]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1618813





	Stories of the Second Self: Stray From the Herd

Not since end of the federal occupation had Captain Reigns worked the street, but given the case that Pentacaste Division was looking into he was ideally suited to ask questions of certain persons of interest. That was why Reigns drove down to Fairfax in lieu of Detective Carpenter or Lieutenant Ellis, who ran the division.

Still assigned the high-ceiling suburban, Captain Reigns cruised alongside sports cars and luxury vehicles easily worth several suburbans a piece. Mostly, Reigns saw Cernunnos Fae or Fae elders like himself, though none of them with a dark complexion.

Reigns' destination was a high end club that the missing person formerly frequented. Finding the place was easy, but Reigns was stopped by a large gate manned by two formally suited giants.

One giant gestured for Reigns to roll down his window and addressed him. "No admittance without a membership or guest invite."

The closest thing Reigns had to the former was his badge that he produced, while saying, "Captain Reigns, Cincinnati PD."

The giant actually checked her tablet, on which Reigns guessed was the list, before she answered, "Sorry, but I don't have a Reigns on here."

"Look, I'm just here to investigate the whereabouts of one Avery Williams," Reign explained, withholding irritation at the rebuff from his features. "He's a club member, and my department is investigation his disappearance."

"Sorry sir," the giant apologized in a way Reigns thought was prefacing her continued refusal until she added, "It's just my job to screen visitors. I'll get you cleared through."

"Thank you," Reigns replied and waited.

The giantess swiped her tablet and brought it up to her ear to talk, and then nodded before opening the gate and waving Reigns through. Past the gate Reigns entered a landscape bordering on a realm of fantasy. He saw no unicorns, of course, but many of the horses allowed to trot around freely lacked only the horn to complete the image. He could hardly see any signs of the city but for a few newly built white or silver towers the tops of which reached over the treeline.

The club was many structures each tailoring to clientele needs; such as spas, gyms, diners, and other facilities. In the club's early days, about a year past the start of the federal occupation, he'd been given a trail membership for about a month. He visited only twice, but found the place too gaudy and ritzy to feel comfortable there.

After pulling into the parking lot, Reigns turned his rear view mirror to examine himself. Reigns had changed into something more formal before coming out here. He straightened his tie and ensured nothing else was out of place. Reigns’ prior medium brown skin tone, having taken after his mother more than his father, carried a purplish hue when his Alter Idem self emerged. Wide nose bridge and, sturdier forehead, and strong neck muscles, a characteristic of all Fae. His eleven-point antlers also granted him a pass in social circles like this, where Luc Fae and even some lower end Cernunnos Fae would get the brush-off.

"This is what I get for being an all-natural Buddhist," Reigns said to the mirror, before he opened his door and ducked low to exit.

Even Reigns felt conscious of social status at times, just that his idea of high class meant reliable people who didn't shirk their day jobs. It's why he stuck to his old neighborhood in the southern part of Reading, after Alter Idem moved him over from a multiracial human into a Fae elder.

The closest building was the management office, which Reigns opted to visit first. He stepped inside and surveyed the interior, before a receptionist noticed him.

"Good morning Mr--," the receptionist paused, though stood to offer her hand.

"Reigns," he finished for her and clarified, "Captain Reigns. I'm sure your staff at the gate phoned ahead."

"How can I help you?" she asked, taking her seat again.

"I'm told that Mr. Avery Williams is a member here," Reigns explained, "My department is investigating his whereabouts, and so I came here to inquire when last he visited."

"None of our members have had run-ins with the law," she stated, but typed the name into her terminal.

"His family is concerned, because his return home appears to be delayed a couple weeks," Reigns said, careful to omit missing.

"Ah, looks like his last arrival here was three weeks ago," she receptionist said, her manicured nail running down the screen. "Prior to that he was fairly regular, though I'm not authorized to relay how often."

Reigns knew better than to press the matter, for even that constituted making a scene in places like this. "Thank you for the information."

Though, as Reigns turned to leave he heard someone else call out to him. "It's nice to see you again, Detective."

Down the hall, Reigns saw not a Fae of high status, but an angel with a weekly program on television; Reverend Collins. Often called Fairyfax, the part of town also included wealthy angels and humans, with giants here only as outdoor employees but no residence within Fairfax.

"Reverend," Reigns greeted Collins, but didn't bother explaining he had been promoted twice since the days he worked Fraud Investigations.

"What was it, seven?" Collins seemed to struggle to remember, and then pointed, "No, eight years ago, correct?"

"About that, yes sir," Reigns replied, and started for the door again.

"I do hope your department transfer wasn't too jarring," Collins consoled, or more accurately, rubbed in how easily he managed to thwart Reign's case.

"Illuminating, in fact." Reigns had gotten good at this game since then. "Or, you might say it was my saving grace."

"I'm glad to hear that." Collins poured on that used car salesman smile that inwardly nauseated Reigns.

"Your new racket seems to be going well." Reigns couldn't help but toss a light verbal jab. "Wings of Hope Ministries. It's catchy."

"Last we met we were both human," Collins reminded.

'Well,' Reigns thought silently, 'I can only speak for myself,' and then spoke more amicably, "We can't help what karma throws our way."

"Now our places in God's plan more readily stand out," Collins alluded to the devil reference most Fae got from fundamentalist Christians.

"Or something like that," Reigns answered, remembering a Buddhist saying on temperance. "Again, congratulations on your success."

That religiosity granted Reverend Collins material success was intended, by Reigns, to be a slight that Collins would see as a compliment. It allowed Reigns to express his disgust while remaining diplomatic.

"And to you as well," Collins reciprocated, before parting ways.

Once outside the door, Reigns muttered, "Friggin' snake with wings."

Deciding to test his luck, Reigns went over to the gym to snoop around there. Entering, he presented himself as someone lost.

"Hey, are you looking for someone?" a strapping buck of a Cernunnos Fae asked, having coming from the showers toweling off.

"Uhh, yeah," Reigns kept up the act while answering, "My lifting partner. Maybe you know him? His name is Avery Williams."

"Avery, yeah, I know him," the man replied, and looked thoughtful. "He hasn't been around in a while. Of course, that's not uncommon in his line of work."

"Right," Reigns played along, "I'm one of his clients in fact."

"Then you're in good hands," the other Fae said, "It's not easy to get accepted to the preferred clients list by his security firm. They mostly escort Régine Candelaria's level of business."

"I'd heard that," Reigns said, hiding that this was a revelation to him.

"In fact," the Cernunnos Fae added, "I believe his last trip was up to Akron. An elders council was convened there, and so anything of that caliber necessarily means Régine's involvement."

"Did she travel out of state afterward?" Reigns asked, "Because I was hoping he'd be back in time for my upcoming event."

"Not that I'm aware of," the other Fae answered, and seemed to consider that. "Though, if something else is holding him up, I'm sure his firm will get in touch to let you know. Maybe assign someone equally capable to work with your schedule."

"Thanks," Reigns accepted, "I'll look into that."

Wondering if there were more to learn, Reigns loitered around the gym longer, hoping to catch random conversation where Avery Williams came up. He appeared to be well known to this club, but none knew why he was absent for so long.


End file.
